The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (63 page)

reculer pour mieux sauter (rakyoolay
por meea sortay) FRENCH [to draw
back in order to leap better] noun
phrase a tactical withdrawal made
in order to launch a new assault
on something, a setback that can be
turned to one's own advantage.

redingote (redingot) FRENCH [from
English riding coat] noun originally,
a long double-breasted overcoat for
men; now applied to long coats for
women (usually with a cutaway front
or a front panel in a contrasting
color): "...about two o'clock we behold
him, in walnut-coloured great-coat,
redingote noisette,' descending through
the Place Vendome..." (Thomas Carlyle, History of the French Revolution,
1837).

redivivus (redavivas, redaveevas)
LATIN [reused, renewed] adjective reborn, brought back to life, resurrected.

reductio ad absurdum (ridakteeo ad
abserdam, ridaksheeo ad abserdam)
LATIN [reduction to the absurd] noun
phrase reduction to the point of
absurdity; in logic, the refutation of a
proposition by following it through to
ridiculous extremes.

reductio ad impossibile (ridakteeo ad
imposibeelay) LATIN [reduction to
the impossible] noun phrase reduction to the point of impossibility;
in logic, the refutation of an argu

ment by taking it to its impossible
conclusion.

referendum (referendum) LATIN [something to be referred, from referre to
refer] noun (plural referendums or
referenda, referenda) a plebiscite or
popular vote, often seeking approval of
a measure already passed or proposed
by a government or other legislative
body: "Any changes to the constitution
would have to be approved by referendum."

regalia (rhgiylya) LATIN [kingly thing,
neuter plural of regalis regal] noun
the emblems or symbols of royalty;
may also refer to any insignia or accouterments associated with authority or
indicative of elevated status, or to any
costume worn on a special occasion:
"They loved to travel to London to see the
state occasions with officials dressed in
regalia."

regatta (regata) ITALIAN [from regata
contest, struggle] noun a boat race,
or series of races: "The king was a regular
participant in yachting regattas off the Isle
of Wight."

regime (rayzheem, re'e1em), regime
FRENCH [system, ultimately from Latin
regimen] noun a method of government, or a particular government in
power; may also refer more generally
to any system or pattern of action: "The
new regime has yet to win international
recognition."

regimen (rejam in, rezhaman) LATIN
[rule, from regere to rule] noun a
systematic plan or regulated mode of
life or course of action, such as a diet
or course of exercise; may also refer
generally to any regime or government: "He attacked his noble guest without scruple on the severity of his regimen."
(Walter Scott, The Antiquary, 1816).

regina (rejTh3) LATIN [queen] noun
queen, a reigning female monarch.

regisseur (rayzhiser), regisseur
FRENCH [from regir to direct, ultimately from Latin regere to rule]
noun a person who presents a work
of theater or ballet; an artistic director.

regius (reejas) LATIN [royal, from rex
king] adjective royal (indicating that a
university professorship was bestowed
originally by royalty or by virtue of
royal patronage): "He was appointed
Regius Professor of Philosophy at the relatively young age of 33."

regnum (regnum) LATIN [from regnare to reign] noun (plural regna,
regna) kingdom.

Reich (rik, rish) GERMAN [kingdom,
state] noun (plural Reiche, rika) a
state or empire, usually referring specifically to the Holy Roman Empire
(the First Reich, ended 1806), the
National German Empire (the Second
Reich, 1871-1919), or the Third Reich
in Nazi Germany (1933-45).

reiki (rgkee) JAPANESE [universal
life energy] noun a natural-healing
system originating in Japan, in which
the practitioner is believed to channel
chi energy into the recipient's body
by gently touching various parts of his
or her body.

rel. See RELIQUIAE.

relics (ral ) FRENCH noun (in France)
a cafe or restaurant, sometimes also
offering accommodation.

relievo (rileevo) ITALIAN [from rilevare to raise] noun relief, a style of
molding or carving in which figures
are sculpted on a flat background.

religieuse (ralijeeerz, ralizheeerz)
FRENCH [from religieux religious] noun
a nun or other woman belonging to a
religious order: "Here Reposes in God,
Caroline de Clery, a Religieuse of St. Denis
aged 83 years and blind" (Mark Twain,
ATrampAbroad, 1880).

religieux (ralijeea, ralizheea) FRENCH
[religious] noun a monk or other
man belonging to a religious order.

religioso (relijeeozo) ITALIAN [religious] adverb (in music) with religious feeling. adjective devotional,
religious.

reliquiae (relikweei, relikwiee) LATIN
[from relinquere to leave behind] noun
relics, remains of the dead: "It was left to the lawyers to sort out the reliquiae of
the estate." -abbreviated form rel.

remanet (remhnet) LATIN [it remains]
noun (in law) a case that remains to
be heard.

renaissance (renasons, rapysons)
FRENCH [rebirth] noun the revival
of the arts and culture that took
place in Europe in the postmedieval
period, and hence any revival or
rebirth: "Interest in early chamber music
has undergone something of a renaissance
in the last decade."

rencontre (ron(g)kontrh) FRENCH
[encounter, fight] noun a clash, combat, or other hostile meeting between
opposed parties.

rendezvous (rondivoo, rondayvoo)
FRENCH [meeting place, from rendezvous present yourselves] noun (plural
rendezvous, rondivooz, ronda),vooz)
a prearranged meeting, or the place
where such a meeting is to take place.
verb to meet at a prearranged place
and time: "The raiding party was supposed to rendezvous with the Resistance at
midnight, but no one turned up."

rentier (rontyay) FRENCH [from rente,
ultimately from Latin rendita paid]
noun a person whose income comes
from property or investments.

repartee (repertee,repahrtee,repahrtW) FRENCH [from repartir to retort] noun a witty, clever reply, or light,
witty conversation: "She quickly tired
of his empty-headed repartee and sought
more rewarding company."

repechage (repashahzh, repashahzh)
FRENCH [from repechage second
chance, reexamination, from repecher
to fish out, to rescue] noun (in sport)
a trial heat in which losers in an early
round have another chance to qualify
for the later stages of a competition.
adjective of or relating to such a heat.

repertoire (repatwah) FRENCH [from
repertoire repertory] noun a selection of rehearsed performances, skills,
methods, or fields of knowledge from
which a performer or theatrical company and so forth may choose: A slight
smile passed over Polly's face as she returned
her thanks for the new pupil, for she remembered a time when Mrs. Shaw considered
her `sweet songs' quite unfit for a fashionable young lady's repertoire" (Louisa May
Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl, 1870).

repetiteur (repetiter, repetitoor)
FRENCH [tutor, coach] noun a music
coach, or a person who conducts ballet or opera rehearsals.

repondez s'il vous plait (rayponday
seel voo play) FRENCH [reply, if you
please] verb phrase please reply.
'"abbreviated form R.S.V.P.

reportage (repartahzh, reportahzh,
ritaj) FRENCH [from reporter to report] noun reporting of the news,
or the style or manner in which the
news is reported: "Standards of reportage vary from paper to paper and all too
often tend to reflect the journalistic and
abilities and style of the editor."

repousse (r3pooSy, r3pooSay) FRENCH
[pushed back] noun a form of decorative metalwork, in which patterns
are raised in relief by hammering or
pressing on the reverse side. 'adjective of or relating to such metalwork.

reprise (r3preez) FRENCH [renewal,
repeat, from reprendre to take back]
noun a repetition, recapitulation,
renewal, or resumption of an action,
performance, or theme: "A lack of
time saved them from a reprise of the
whole performance."

requiem (rekweeam, rweeam)
LATIN [from requies quiet, rest, the first
word of the introit of the Latin mass
for the dead] noun a mass for the
dead, or a solemn chant or dirge in
honor of the dead (or a musical setting
of this): "The composer's requiem ranks
among the greatest works of the century."

requiescat (rekweeeskat, ra),kweeeskat) LATIN [may he (or she) rest] interjection rest (a prayer for the repose of
the dead).

requiescat in pace (rekweeeskat in
pahcha),, raykweeeskat in pahchay)
LATIN [may he (or she) rest in peace]

interjection rest in peace (a prayer
for the repose of the dead): "God help
him, over whose dead soul in his living
body must be uttered the sad supplication,
Requiescat in pace!" (Oliver Wendell
Holmes, ElsieVenner, 1859-60). -abbreviatedform R.I.P.

res cogitans (ra),z kogitanz, rayz
kDjitanz) LATIN [thinking thing] noun
phrase the mind, the soul, something
that thinks.

reservoir (rezervwahr) FRENCH [tank,
holder, from reserver to reserve]
noun a supply, reserve or store of
something (often referring specificall), to an artificial lake where water
is stored for the public supply): "The
commission has a reservoir of funds for
such projects."

res gestae (rayz gesti, reez . tee)
LATIN [things done] noun phrase (in
law) the facts of a case; can also refer
more generally to events in the past,
things done, achievements.

residuum (r3zidj3w3m) LATIN [the
remainder, from residuus remaining]
noun (plural residuums or residua,
razidjawa) residue or remainder,
something left over: "An unexplained
residuum of change must be left to the
assumed uniform action of those unknown
agencies, which occasionally induce strongly
marked and abrupt deviations of structure
in our domestic productions" (Charles
Darwin, The Descent of Man, 1871).

res ipsa loquitur (rayz ipsa lokwiter)
LATIN [the matter itself speaks] noun
phrase (in law) the facts speak for
themselves.

res judicata (rayz joodikahta) LATIN
[judged matter] noun phrase (in law) a
case that has been decided by a court
and cannot be reopened.

res non verba (rayz non verba) LATIN
[things not words] noun phrase deeds
not words, action not talk.

res publica (rayz puublika) LATIN
[public affair] noun phrase a commonwealth, a republic, the state.

restaurateur (restarater), restauranteur (resthronter) FRENCH [ultimately
from Latin restaurator restorer] noun
the owner or manager of a restaurant:
"By day he was Qigg, the restaurateur. By night he was the Margrave the
Caliph-the Prince of Bohemia..." (0.
Henry, Strictly Business, 1910).

restitutio in integram (restichootio
in intdgram) LATIN [restoration to
the uninjured state] noun phrase (in
law) the restoration of an injured
party or parties to their former
condition.

resume (rczamay, reza y, r4z5may, rayzamay) FRENCH [resumed,
past participle of resumer to resume]
noun a summary or abstract (often
referring specifically to a person's

curriculum vitae): "She gave him a
quick resume of the plot so far and sat
back to watch his reaction."

resurgam (rezergam) LATIN [I shall
rise again] interjection (among Christians) I shall rise again (signifying
belief in resurrection of the faithful
after death): `Her grave is in Brocklebridge
churchyard: for ffteen years after her death it
was only covered by a grassy mound; but now
a grey marble tablet marks the spot, inscribed
with her name, and the word `Resurgam"'
(Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, 1847).

reticule (retikyool) FRENCH [ultimately
from Latin reticulum network] noun a
woman's purse or small net bag closed
by a drawstring; can also refer in optics
to a grid of fine lines arranged in the
eyepiece of sights or other optical
instruments.

retina (retana, retna) LATIN [probably
ultimately from rete net] noun (plural
retinas or retinae, retanee, retani)
the sensory membrane lining the eye
that receives images formed by the lens
and communicates them to the brain:
"Such injuries to the retina usually heal
themselves within a few weeks."

retro (retro) FRENCH [from retrograde
retrograde] adjective denoting, or
modeled on, a style or an object associated a period in the recent past: "We
went to a retro diner with I950s decor and
1950s hits in the jukebox."

retrousse (ratroos4, ratroosay)
FRENCH [turned-up, past participle of
retrousser to turn up] adjective turnedup (usually referring to the shape of a
person's nose).

retsina (retseena) GREEK [from retine pine resin] noun a resin-flavored
Greek white wine.

revanche (ravonsh) FRENCH [from
Middle French revenche revenge] noun
revenge, retaliation (usually relating
to policies concerning the reclamation of lost territory).

reveille (revalee) FRENCH [from
reveillez, imperative of reveiller to
awaken] noun a bugle call, drum roll,
or other signal marking the time to
get up, as in military camps: "The
two soldiers were ordered to report to
the commander at reveille the following
morning."

revenant (revenant, revanon(g))
FRENCH [one returning, present participle of revenir to return] noun a
person or spirit who returns after
death or after a long absence, a ghost;
may also refer to a person whose
character or behaviour recalls a past
age: "For granting even that Religion were
dead ... or that it now walked as goblin
revenant with Bishop Talleyrand ofAutun;
yet does not the Shadow of Religion, the
Cant of Religion, still linger?" (Thomas
Carlyle, History of the French Revolution, 1837).

revenons a nos moutons (ravanon(g)
ah no mootori ) FRENCH [let us
return to our sheep] interjection phrase
let's get back to the subject!, a misquotation of "Revenons a ces moutons!",
a line from the anonymous comedy
La Farce de Maistre Pierre Pathelin (c.
1460).